ST. PAUL (CNN) – Lieberman’s making an anti-partisan speech in front of a deeply partisan audience. Republicans see Lieberman as a way to attract Jewish voters. But polls indicate that Jews solidly prefer Obama, and that Lieberman’s popularity among Jewish voters has diminished. But it makes for an interesting tableau: odd to hear mention of global warming at a Republican convention.

He praised Clinton to a Republican audience – not generally safe thing to do. He’s trying to paint McCain as a more genuine unifier than Obama. The idea of John McCain as a maverick has become an object of heated partisan dispute. Maybe in 2000 it was undisputed. But not this year. And they’re beginning to raise questions about Sarah Palin as a maverick too. Did she really oppose the Bridge to Nowhere?

Lieberman’s days in the Senate Democratic caucus are numbered. The moment Democrats get enough votes to hold a majority without him, he’s gone.